What Happens If You Listen Closely
by goalkeeper96
Summary: Brennan, over everything else, is confused. Why did he call it off? Nothing hurts more than rejection, but she'll find out the truth, even if it kills her. Set during the season 8 finale.


Brennan forced herself, with what little energy she still had left, up the stairs. And as she walked into her room; _their room_, it could be noticed by the way that the room is set up. His side, and her side. A shared life. But it wasn't enough anymore. She felt it. The need in the pit of her stomach. She'd felt it for a long time, of course; but she pushed it down. She ignored the need, because she was happy. She didn't need matrimony to make her happy. She was already there. But something has changed. She saw life from a different perspective. _His_ perspective. She wanted it. She wanted him to give her a ring, and slide it onto her finger, professing his love for her, even though she'd heard it a thousand times.

Confusion. That's what she felt. It didn't make any sense. Booth wanted this. He'd wanted to get married, and testified to this, even before they were together. He wanted to get married. She assumed that he still did. He was a very head strong man. It would have been very difficult to change his mind about anything.

_Then why?_ She asked herself.

Jealousy shot through her as she reclaimed a memory of that night. The night that she found him, more than tipsy, hunched over on a bar stool. She recalled his expression. It was not only heartbreak, but anger. He was so angry that Hannah had turned him down that night, yet he would do the same thing to the mother of his child, knowing how it felt. Jealousy turned into anger as she thought about it more. _It must be me he doesn't want, then. _She thought. In the back of her mind, she knew that this wasn't true; but rejection can make you think things, assume things, that you would otherwise not believe.

She didn't realize it, but Booth had walked in, and had been staring at her.

"Bones..." He said, trying to think of something to say.

She shook her head and walked into the bathroom, slamming the door, and locking it behind her.

Booth closed his eyes and sighed. "Bones, please? Just come talk to me." He begged.

Just then, Christine's cries rang out from the baby monitor.

Booth, hearing his little girl's sobs, was momentarily distracted, and walked the small distance from their room, to Christine's room.

Christine was standing up in her crib, her little eyes red, and he cheeks tear-stained. She had her arms out, waiting to be picked up.

"Aww, what's got you all upset? Hmm?" He said, picking her up, and cradling her in his arms.

"Dada." She mumbled into his chest.

"That's right, baby. Daddy's here."

He cried lessened, and Booth knew that she was asleep again; but he didn't want to put her down yet. He sat down on the rocking chair in the corner of the room, and began rocking her.

"You know, Christine, Daddy's in a lot of trouble with your Mommy. She's not talking to me. I wish she would though. I wish she could just look at my eyes and understand. I want to marry your mommy so bad, baby. That's all I've ever wanted, but life doesn't work out the way you want it to sometimes. I wish she knew. God I wish she , if you're listening, you better hide good; 'cuz I'm coming after you hard."

Booth rocked his little girl for a while longer, and then gently set her back in her crib. "I love you, Angel." He whispered, pressing a final kiss onto her forehead, and then sighed. _To the couch I go,_ he thought.

Little did he know that the baby monitor was still on, and audible from the bathroom.

As soon as Brennan had head Booth talking to their daughter, she opened the bathroom door, and went to listen.

_I want to marry your mommy so bad, baby. _That made her heart clench. Her eyes filled with tears as she continued listening. By the end, Brennan was sobbing quietly. His last sentence explained everything. _Pelant._ Why didn't she think of him sooner? It was all clear to her now. Booth wouldn't deny her matrimony unless there was something else at risk.

She felt the pain leave her body, and the absolute anger take over. She would _not_ let a criminal rule her life. She was going to find him, and she was going to kill him.

_All in good time._ She thought.


End file.
